Visit to Starbase Tokyo, Akihabara - Tak Heaven!

[badhex]

Hello all, 

Currently in Japan for a couple of months and last week took a visit to Starbase Tokyo in Akihabara. It is open for only about three half days per week but chock full of Vixens, Borg part and obviously Taks galore. 

I'd hoped to pick up the Vixen SG constellation binos but they didn't have them in stock, so I was more than content just admiring all the scopes. 

I somehow didn't take a photo of the Borg and Tak accessory shelves but I'm going back anyway next month to pick up all the awesome free (Japanese) catalogues they have so I'll take more photos then, including the accessory shelves! 

There were a few clerks in there talking people through purchases, and sadly most of the scopes had objective caps on, no doubt to stop people licking the glass 😂 Plenty of handles to be seen around the place I might add, but surprisingly not on the Mewlon 250 which is an absolute beast! 

Also a vintage Jupiter branded scope and tripod down in one corner with some other used bits and bobs. No rare vintage EPs there though sadly! 

Now for the moment @JeremyS has been waiting for:

 

[iantaylor2uk]

Akihabara is an amazing part of Tokyo. Will have to visit this store next time I'm in Japan. Hope you're enjoying the amazing food over there 

[badhex]

2 minutes ago, iantaylor2uk said:

Akihabara is an amazing part of Tokyo. Will have to visit this store next time I'm in Japan. Hope you're enjoying the amazing food over there 

Yes, it's about 10-15 mins from Akihabara main station so not too far from the main part of Electric Town. As a massive anime and Japanese culture nerd I always spend loads of time - and usually money - there but hadn't been aware of this shop until recently. 

Huge fan of Japanese cuisine also so eating lots of excellent food! Just finished a delicious bowl of tan tan soupless ramen in Nagasaki as I write this 🙂

[Stu]

Amazing place, thanks for the pics! 👍

[badhex]

I forgot to add, it's not totally clear from the pics but alongside the TOA 150 are two FC100Ds mounted in binoviewing configuration. Best binos ever?

Nearly enough Tak glass there for all of @Stu's eyes! 

[JeremyS]

Brilliant pics Joe. Thanks!
I would have had to be taken out of there in a straight jacket.

Love the way they causally display a TSA on a bottom shelf underneath some other scopes.

Did it have the eau de Tak odour in the shop?

Edited March 11, 2023 by JeremyS

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, badhex said:

 but I'm going back anyway next month to pick up all the awesome free (Japanese) catalogues 

 @JeremyS

 

Sounds like you’ll be busy scanning and posting to SGL when you are back, Joe 👍🏻

[IB20]

Fantastic pics, nice to see the Starbase 80 on display. Really pleasing to see that the FC-100DC only costs £1385 inc. Japanese consumption tax! 😩

[JeremyS]

23 minutes ago, badhex said:

I forgot to add, it's not totally clear from the pics but alongside the TOA 150 are two FC100Ds mounted in binoviewing configuration. Best binos ever?

Nearly enough Tak glass there for all of @Stu's eyes! 

Did you notice which model FC 100D’s in the bino scope?

[badhex]

22 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Did you notice which model FC 100D’s in the bino scope?

Nope, will take a look when I go back. 

29 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Sounds like you’ll be busy scanning and posting to SGL when you are back, Joe 👍🏻

Of course! PDFs all round.

The Mewlon 250 was the same, just on a bottom shelf as if to say "oh, this old thing?" 

I think I was giddy with excitement because I realise I also didn't take a good picture of the Epsilon you can see hiding in a couple of photos.

And the mounts! Crumbs. That EM400 was another absolute chonk. The tag hanging off it says 1.5mil JPY, about 9250 GBP - but I'm not sure if that's for the mount and tripod, or the TOA 150 as it certainly can't be both! 

 

25 minutes ago, IB20 said:

Fantastic pics, nice to see the Starbase 80 on display. Really pleasing to see that the FC-100DC only costs £1385 inc. Japanese consumption tax! 😩

So, I hadn't immediately put two and two together until I went but the Starbase products are their own original or rebranded products. I knew someone had partnered with Takahashi to create an entry level Tak, so to speak, but I just hadn't realised it was literally this shop. 

[markse68]

I like that they have a blue floor and ceiling- unusual and fitting. What a paradise!

Mark

[Ibbo!]

Very nice.

I do believe the finder bracket on the Mewlon is considered to be the handle!

[Mr Spock]

7 minutes ago, Ibbo! said:

I do believe the finder bracket on the Mewlon is considered to be the handle!

Indeed, though I wouldn't be too comfortable holding that expensive an item with it!

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, Ibbo! said:

Very nice.

I do believe the finder bracket on the Mewlon is considered to be the handle!

Yep, I certainly used the one on the M210 like that. The finder doesn’t budge and it feels rock solid, if I’m allowed to use such eulogising terms about it.

[badhex]

13 minutes ago, Ibbo! said:

Very nice.

I do believe the finder bracket on the Mewlon is considered to be the handle!

Yes I thought I'd read that before somewhere, certainly on the smaller models - maybe an Ed Ting review? Amazing that they can engineer them to require basically no adjustment even after being used to lug it about! 

[badhex]

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

Yep, I certainly used the one on the M210 like that. The finder doesn’t budge and it feels rock solid, if I’m allowed to use such eulogising terms about it.

This is very much a Tak appreciation thread so eulogise away!

I would have really liked to have a closer look at the FC60 - not that I need a 60mm scope 😅but a shop chap was showing that plus some other bits to a punter at a desk, so I didn't get a close look. 

If anyone has any specific photo requests for next time I go please LMK and I'll do my best to take some more pictures! 

One thing that I couldn't seem to find was the objectives for the Borg scopes - mostly just accessories. I'd really like to get a look at the 55FL up close. 

If anyone has any specific photo requests for next time I go please LMK and I'll do my best to take some more pictures!

[JeremyS]

12 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Indeed, though I wouldn't be too comfortable holding that expensive an item with it!

Spot on Michael. The finder is a handle. Amazing piece of ingenuity and high quality Tak engineering. Is there nothing these guys haven’t thought of?
It feels odd picking the scope up this way, but soon becomes second nature. I do worry I might inadvertently take the same approach with one of my Tak refractors tho….

[Mr Spock]

I'd be frightened of dropping it.

[Sunshine]

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

I would have had to be taken out of there in a straight jacket.

🤣 In japan they would just drag you out to the street and cane your bottom. Humor aside,  if I went in there it would be game over for my bank account, but I’d be so happy! 😁

Edited March 11, 2023 by Sunshine

[Highburymark]

3 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Did you notice which model FC 100D’s in the bino scope?

They must be DFs, I reckon Jeremy. The DCs have the extra section before the focuser, and the DZs have dew shield screws. Do I win the nerd of the day award?

[JeremyS]

3 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

They must be DFs, I reckon Jeremy. The DCs have the extra section before the focuser, and the DZs have dew shield screws. Do I win the nerd of the day award?

Well you certainly win the Takficionado of the day award, Mark. 
I suspect the focuser on the DF is more amenable to binoviewing 

[Marc1964]

I'm wondering how many SGL members are now checking on cost of flight to Tokyo... 

[badhex]

Hello all, just a quick update and some more photos for this thread. I'm back from Japan now and just moved into my new flat in Beckenham. I did manage to go back to Starbase before I left, so I grabbed a few catalogues (will maybe get round to scanning them once I've unpacked 😂) and a few photos of the stuff mentioned in comments above, as well as an FSQ85 which I've never seen before, and another picture of the TSA150 because why not 🔍👅

 

[JeremyS]

3 minutes ago, badhex said:

Hello all, just a quick update and some more photos for this thread. I'm back from Japan now and just moved into my new flat in Beckenham. I did manage to go back to Starbase before I left, so I grabbed a few catalogues (will maybe get round to scanning them once I've unpacked 😂) and a few photos of the stuff mentioned in comments above, as well as an FSQ85 which I've never seen before, and another picture of the TSA150 because why not 🔍👅

 

Thanks a lot Joe: now I won’t be able to get to sleep tonight 

[badhex]

On 11/03/2023 at 16:12, Highburymark said:

They must be DFs, I reckon Jeremy. The DCs have the extra section before the focuser, and the DZs have dew shield screws. Do I win the nerd of the day award?

Oh and @Highburymark wins a Tak-glass flavoured biscuit for correctly guessing the model 😂